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Groaning pipes
In the last few months I have noticed that when the hot water is turned on to an infrequently used shower (but not the bath faucet) the pipes groan and rattle. This sound and vibration immediately ceases when the diverter is switched back to the tub or the water is turned off. Cold water does not make any noise.
I have tired a few suggestions that I found on the web such as taking off the shower head to clear air and shutting off the hot water and draining all of the lines in the house. So far nothing has worked (I am so glad that one of those links was to this forum.) I am not very experienced with plumbing and the sound and vibration really concerns me.
The fixtures seem kind of old. Since this has been happening it also seems like the water pressure the the shower has gone down.
Any ideas out there?
Thanks
I woud check and see if you have a pressure reducing valve.
It sounds like it may be in failure.
It should be located near where your water enters the house and it will have an adjustment screw sticking out of it.
If you have one purchase a pressure gauge that will attatch to your outside faucet and test the water pressure with nothing turned on in the house then turn on a tub faucet and see what the pressure drops to.
If this is a basic old 2 handle ( or 3 handle) shower, you could have a loose washer on the hot stem, which causes vibration when turned on. In this example, if you open the handle wide open, does it go away?
If it is a single handle, the problem is probably elsewhere, such as the pressure regulator mentioned,
Jimbo-
It is a 2 handle shower with a 3rd handle for going between the shower and bath, but opening the handle wide does not make the noise go away.
Cass-
We did have a pressure reducing valve put in when we bought the house about a year ago. The outside pressure was reading about 85psi and all of the faucets in the house were leaking when we were looking at the house. We are not having problems anywhere else in the house though... I will look into getting a pressure gauge to check on the pressure drop.
Thank you both so much for your help.
I would atleast replace the washers on the three handle valve. This would be a good starting point. I don't believe it is a pressure problem, because it would be hot and cold.It is a 2 handle shower with a 3rd handle for going between the shower and bath, but opening the handle wide does not make the noise go away.
The old three handle tub/shower valves have washers. These have a screw holding them in place and when the screw gets old it loosens. The washers breaks down also causing it to loosen. This happens more on the hot side because it's hot water.
They are very old I'm sure. I'm thinking screw head that held the hot washer is lodged in the valve body.The fixtures seem kind of old. Since this has been happening it also seems like the water pressure the the shower has gone down.
If this was my house I just bought I would replace the tub/shower valve to a new single handle pressure balanced valve
I'm just starting to work with an old friend of mine to bring solar electric and hot water systems, wind turbines, Flex Fuel Boilers, batteries, hydroponic gardening, books, pellet grills and more. Also the parts for DIY installation.
If the pressure every where else in the house is normal then I doubt it is the PRV.
I mis read your first post and thought you said the pressure drop was at all faucets in the house.
I think jimbo is onthe right track. It does sound like a lose washer.
Hey guys,
I have a similar issue in my 8 year old home, only it has to do with nearly all of the water faucets in my house. It most noticeable when running the upstairs or downstairs bathtubs. It seemingly came from nowhere, as 8 years have gone by with no abnormal plumbing noises at all. Now, all of a sudden, it sounds like my home was built on an Indian burial ground and the spirits want their land back.
I'd appreciate any help you could throw my way. Also, any comment as to why it appears to be the hot water that is the culprit vs. just water in general? Nothing I have tried makes the noise go away, but eventually, after maybe 5 mins of filling the tub, the noise abates.
Thanks,
Jeff
Any ideas, guys? I asked one plumber who was at my house and he theorized it was worn down innards on one of the toilets that was causing a pressure drop and was vibrating. Well, we tested that theory after he left and there was no doubt that the noise was NOT coming from any of the four toilets in the house.
Thanks,
Jeff
It appears that my groaning is on the hot water side of the downstairs master tub only. I'm going to try to order a new cartridge for that Moen roman tub faucet and see if that solves the issue. If not, I need to cut off the caulk holding the access panel for this tub and see what I can find out looking at the guts "underneath the hood" to see what I can see.
Regards,
Jeff
Hey there!
did you ever find a solution to this? I had my plumbing redone about 5 years ago and just in the last few months my HOT water only is making a whining/groaning sound when I turn it on full. It lasts for about 30 seconds then subsides. I have pressure reducer, tankless wh, and my pressure was pretty high but recently reduced it. the noise still persists. It happens when any fixture is used...tub, shower, washer. I really hope it's not pinhole leaks or something but I fear it may be because of air in the pipes.
Any ideas or solutions would be a big help. I'm not a plumber but a very competent DiYer.
thanks
DJ
DJ,Originally Posted by dvfx
Well, the long and short of it is that I ended up having the copper pipes that were sweated to my bathtub fixtures replaced with flexline while we were doing the bathroom remodel. All the fixtures and sinks were replaced, as well. I don't know which, if any, of these "fixed" the issue, but it seems to have disappeared. That being said, I think I have some serious "air in the lines" issues now, as when the washing machine runs, I can hear the pipes banging and crashing around inside the walls and ceiling. I'm not sure what, if anything, can be done to solve this, so I'd be happy to hear thoughts.
Good luck!
Regards,
Jeff
AIr in the pipes doesn't do that. What you need is to install a pair of hammer arrestors on the supply to the WM. Any valve that can turn off fast can cause this (ice makers, WM, some toilet refill valves). http://www.siouxchief.com/Supply/Arr...mer-Arresters2 is the sort of thing I'm talking about. There is a special version for a WM that just screws on after removing the hose...then, you install the hose to the thing. They're available at the big box stores and any plumbing or hardware store worth their salt.
Jim DeBruycker
Important note - I'm not a pro
Retired Defense Industry Engineer
Jim,
Thanks so much for that info! Given that I am about as handy as a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest when it comes to plumbing, is this something that I should have a qualified plumber install where my water line attaches to my washing machine, or is this just something that gets screwed and not sweated to make the connection? If it's just a matter of screwing it on, no problem. It appears from that website you linked below that I would need the female compression tee mini arrester, does that sound correct to you?
Thanks,
Jeff
Those for a WM just screw on. You might need a pair of pliers, but if you can hook up a hose, you can install them. http://www.lowes.com/pd_24696-1816-6...0051&langId=-1
Last edited by jadnashua; 09-24-2011 at 12:54 PM.
Jim DeBruycker
Important note - I'm not a pro
Retired Defense Industry Engineer
Thanks, Jim. I picked up a pair of these thanks to your recommendation. I hope to install them tomorrow night when I have some free time and can wedge myself into the overgrown closet I call a utility room in my house. I will definitely let you know about the install process and their operation. Thanks!
Regards,
Jeff
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